Improvement in sewing-machines



Un rTED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

JEREMIAEI` KEITH, 0F PROVIDENCE, nRHODE ISLAND.

`IMPROVEMENT IN lSEWING-MACHINES.

Specification formingpart of Letters Patent No. l 73,967, dated February 22, 1876.; applicationled v July 27, 1875. l

Which- Figure l is a top view, Fig. 2 'a front elevation, and Fig. 3 a transverse sectionof a` sewing-machine provided with fmy invention, such machine being what is termed a needle and shuttle machine, my invention being equally applicable to various other sewing-A machines. t

In carrying out my improvement the workfeeder has an intermittent reciprocating motion, or forward and backward movements only, and the presser is to be provided with mechanism for raising and holding it off the work when the needle may be therein, the same beingso that the feeder shall be moved backward while the work is.held by the needle. From this it will be seen that the feeder has no upand-down motions, or motions away from and toward the work, beside t its motions back and forth-that is 'to say, it

is not what .sewing-machine manufacturers term a fourmotion feeder, as it has but two motions, in consequence ofwhich there are less wear and friction of the parts in operation, and the feeding mechanism vis much simplified,

, comparatively speaking.

In the drawings, A denotes the table, and B the frame, of the machine. C is the needle-bar or carrier, D the presser, and E the feeder. The said feeder is fixed to a lever,

- F, that swings horizontally on its fulcrum a,

and at its rear part bears against a cam, b,

xed on the driving-shaft G, suchcam being to move the lever in one direction, a spring, d, arranged between the lever and the frame, serving to move the said lever in the 'opposite way. To the presser another The mechanism for operating the needle or part of my invention,

the shuttle, being no need not be described.

At the proper time, whilethe needle may be in the Work, the presser is to be raised up a little, or oft' the work sufficiently, to relieve it and the feeder from the pressure ofthe said presser. This having been done, and while the needle is in the work, so as to hold it firmly in place, the feeder is -to be moved backward underneath the work, after which the presser is to drop back upon the work, the needle to rise out of it, and the feeder to be advanced, so as to feed the work forward the necessary dista-nce for the creation of a new stitch. v

In a sewing-machine, a reciprocating workfeeder, provided With mechanism for operating' it, as described--viz, to cause it to retreat and advance to feed the work without, in the meantime,moving ont of and into contact` there-- within combination with a separate presser,

provided with mechanism for raising and holding it oft' the Work whenl the needle may be therein, in order that the feeder may be moved backward underneath the work, and

the latter during such movement `be sustained by the needle, all substantially as specified.

JEREMIAH KEITH. Witnesses:

R. H. EDDY, J. R. SNOW. 

